Interchangeable railway time-table and bulletin-board.



No. 860,323. PATENTED JULY 16, 1907.

' J. H. PENNIOK. INTERGHANGEABLE RAILWAY TIME TABLE AND BULLETIN BOARD.

APPLICATION FILED NOV.1- 1906.

GHQ Q HM Q L J J L L M M W W W T 3 3 5 W Kw .WQZQQLOQOQmQO W E M @d@@@d d 1| L .L w ov .F/\/\Q L a M. O. 0 w Ill. Hl/I W H M W y m m w W p U I I I 'H n I... u, S m Aw d L um N I w .l B L m n m n o R U U. 91. W m W 8 Fa l- Inventor WInesseg JOHN H. PENNIGK, OF SHAWNEE COUNTY, KANSAS.

INTERCHANGEABLE RAILWAY TIME-TABLE AND BULLETIN-BOARD.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 16, 1907.

Application filed November 1,1906. Serial No. 341,532.

and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Interchangeable Railway Time-Tables and Bulletin-Boards, of which the following is a specification.

The invention has reference to bulletin-boards, signboards, and the like, which are especially adapted for use where it is necessary frequently to change the data contained thereon; thus, as a bulletin-board for showing the condition of the trains in railway stations, it is especially useful; it is also useful in any place where a substantial changeable sign is desired.

Objects are: to improve generally upon sign-boards, bulletin-boards, and the like, where the data is to be changeable; to provide a device of this kind especially adapted to railway stations for showing the condition of the trains, and providing devices for easily changing the data thereon; to provide a railway train bulletinboard, which is simple and durable, which may be readily changed to show the condition of the trains, and to show the different trains, and which is so constructed as to be readily and easily read and understood by the public.

Other objects will appear hereinafter. And the invention consists of the parts, improvements, and combinations herein set forth and claimed.

In'the drawings accompanying and forming part of this specification, and in the description thereof, I have shown the invention in its preferred form and have also shown the best mode of applying the principles thereof; but it is to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims I contemplate changes in form,

proportions, materials, the transposition of parts, and the substitution of equivalent members without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Figure 1 is a face view of a railway train bulletin made in conformity with the principles of my invention. Fig. 2 is a side view thereof. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail of one of the letteror card-holding tiers, the frame being only partially shown. Fig. 4 is a front view of part of the board, the front plate being removed. Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken approximately through the line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail showing the rollers for shifting the months and days. Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken approximately through the line 77 of Fig. 1, the door being opened, and showing the compartments in which the cards may be held when not in use.

Like reference numerals indicate like or corresponding parts.

On the front side of a suitable frame 8 (which may be made, for instance, from a one-inch board, of proper shape) may be fastened a suitable sheet-metal finishing plate 9, on which are any desired number of tiers of card-holding devices. 'lhcscidcviccs consist of a lower card-holding clip 10, and an upper one 11; the upper one being secured to a rod 12, which may be held by suitable eye-lets or staples 13, whereby the upper clip is suitably hinged to the frame, the coil springs 14, 14, serving to keep the said upper clip closed. The outer end of each rod may be turned down to form a handle 15. I provide a suitable number and variety of cards 16, 1G, with suitable characters inscribed thereon, being of suitable size and shape for inserting in the several tiers between the upper and lower clips. These cards may obviously be limited to single letters and numbers, or I may use whole words, which would be desirable where words like the days of the week, the characters P. M., A. h No. and the like are used. At the bottom of the frame is a card-holding cabinet 17, which may be suitably divided into compartments 18, 18, each compartment being intended for a certain character of card, and the character may be inscribed on the door 19 which is hinged at the bottom at 19 and turns down to give access to the cards. In each of the recesses 20, 20 in the frame, are the two rollers 21, 21 on which is wound the strip (of paper or other suitable material) 22. On one of these strips is inscribed the names of the months, and on the other the days. The strip passes through the slots 23, 23 which are located just behind the lower and upper clips respectively and are thus hid from view, so as to give the exposed portion of the strip the appearance of the removable cards, so as to give the board uniformity of appearance. A rod is fastened to each roller, 24, and is extended out through the side of the frame so that the rollers may be operated by the buttons 25, 25. In alinement with each of the lower tiers of card-clips is a series of holes 26, 26 (shown as three in number), and for each hole there is a disk 27, 28, 29, to indicate, respectively the units and tens of the minutes, and the hours, the disks having suitable numbers thereon. These disks are secured by pins 30 to the buttons 31 on the front side of the plate, and may be easily altered by operating the buttons. The disks may be made of card-board, but preferably are of thin sheet metal, and they may be nested closely together, and the friction against caclrothor will normally hold them wherever they may be set. If however it is desired, light springs 32, 32, may be provided to press against the edges of the disks and to lodge at suitable intervals in notchcs cut in their peripheries to hold them rigidly wherever adjusted. In alinement with outside of the frame.

each tier and series of holes isanother slot or opening 33, behind which is located a roll on one side of which is inscribed the word Late. and on the other the characters 011 time or O. T. as may be desired, indicated by the numerals 34, 34; and these rolls are operated by the buttons 35, 35 extending from the The back of the frame may be closed by a suitable covering 36.

Fig. 1 shows very clearly the manner of using my invention in the form of a railway train bulletin. The data in the tiers may be changed from time to time to conform to changes in the trains, train numbers and other changes in the time-cards, the rolls 33, 33 indicate whether the train is late or on time, and the numerals in the holes 26, 26 indicate the length of time that the train is late. Obviously, the changes may be easily made by the telegraph operator station agent, or other person whose duty it is to post the train bulletin. And importantly, the bulletin will be plain to be read and understood by the public, With a minimum of effort and time on the part of the operator.

\Vhat I claim is:

1. The combination of a frame, a number of tiers of card-clips, each tier comprising an upper and a lower clip, a series of strips on each of which is inscribed a suitable series of characters, a pair of rollers mounted in the frame for each strip, and each strip leading into the exposed part of the tier through slots located behind the lower and upper clips respectively.

2. The combination of a frame, a number of tiers of card-clips, each tier comprising an upper single spring, pressed clip with an operating handle and a lower clip, a series of strips on each of which is inscribed a suitable series of characters, a pair of rollers mounted in the frame for each strip, and each strip leading into the exposed part of the tier through slots located behind the lower and upper clips respectively.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name in. the presence of witnesses.

JOHN H. PENNICK. Witnesses C. .T. RosEN, W. A. SLeo. 

